What do you mean Fords have both shocks on one side of the axle? I think you are thinking of something else. Vehicles have shocks on each side. Some cars use struts but they are still one on each side. The Dodges have a similar shock setup to most other vehicles.

As for which color to go with I love how the silver looks but it's also with blue boots and red coils. Mine were white and looked okay at best but started rusting after a year or maybe slightly more. I knew they would as the previous set was rusting pretty badly and others told me to paint these before I put them on. I didn't listen and just put them on. Well, sure enough and little over a year later they were rusting. I finally just took them off before they got back and sanded them down to bare metal and shot 2 coats of primer on, 2 layers of a silver that sparkles, and 2 layers of clear over that. I think I did 2 coats of everything and they turned out amazing. I didn't really want a paint that seemed to have sparkles in it at first but we had it around the house so I decided to give it a shot and it turned out amazing I love how they look. I don't know that I'd like a red shock quite as much.


Anyway be sure to take some pictures before you set it back down to stock height and then take some after it's back down. Lets us know how you like it when it gets back to stock. Are you keeping your old mud tires? If they have decent tread on them still you may want to ask to keep them and try to sell them on your own or keep them for spares. I wouldn't give them away for free to the shop if they still have good tread.

Anyway I can't wait to see pictures of it when it goes back to stock and be sure to let us know how you like it.

Are you getting shocks put on tomorrow too?

 

I think he meant on the rear axle how one shock points forward from the axle and the other points back, instead of both going the same direction.

 

Thanks guys, I as well am pretty excited too. I'm also a little nervous. I hope the truck still will look nice at stock height with the 285s. I just was beating myself up over doing the half *** maneuvuer I was trying to do. I was still trying to put a lift on it and go with 33" tires that were the same width as my 35" tires, it just was asking for the same recipe that I am dealing with right now. The only reason I ever had the big tire thing stuck in my head was because the truck came with the big tires, so it grew on me. Before I knew about this truck, I didn't even know about big tires lol. So realistically speaking, a 285 is truly going to be a size down. I use this truck for the road and work, and that's really it. I don't ever go wheeling, because well I can't afford messing anything up. I'm going to look around and try to find out what shocks to buy, I'll probably buy them off summitracing today, and I'll have them replace all four next week, then everything should be perfect with the truck. No more premature wear and tear, softer and stronger ride, safe feeling going down the highway, straight wheel, smooth quiet ride, and I won't feel so bad if I ever want to open her up now and then[8D] And, that transmission shop will have NOTHING to say about the tires anymore because she is basically the same size now that came stock with the truck. I will take a lot of pictures before the lift is taken down and the tires are put on. I plan to save the tires for spares or unless I can get someone to buy them. They have about 60% tread on them. Alright big day today if everything goes well, I'll let ya know, later guys.

**Also, if somebody could help me figure out what size shocks I need for the front and rear on a stock offroad edition height would be a big help. Would 0-2" work, or 2-3"?

 

Like Homer said stock size are what you want. You can lift up to 2" with stock shocks. I think you will be very happy with stock height as the dodges sit higher than others anyway and the offroad sits even higher it will look good.

 

Yeah stock shocks are probably what you want. Definately don't need ones for a 3" lift as those will be too long.

As for getting them to put the shocks on why not do it yourself? Didn't you buy a tool kit? They are super easy and will save you a fair amount of money. I paid I think $60 the one time I had just front shocks put on this truck. That was for 1 hours labor. If you say both sets take that long thats $120 for something you could easily do. I mean basically it's taking 4 bolts out on the rear. 2 on each one and then taking 2 bolts out 1 on each one and a nut off of each side on the front ones. Do you have open end wrenchs? What about visegrips? I'd invest in each of those and then use sockets for the rear. It's a really simple job and I wouldn't pay someone to do it.


Also for the opened end wrenches gear wrenchs are the easiest which are racheting ones. I like my ones with the flex heads but if you don't want to spend that Wal-Mart sells Stanley sets for like $10 a set and they seem to be decent quality. I actually bought a set to carry in my truck as a spare set. I have several tools in my truck I just carry with me.


Should look good. What time is it supposed to be done today? Are you going to post any pictures tonight? I can't wait to see how it looks. A guy that seems to visit one of the neighbors has almost the exact truck I do and it looks pretty good only I think his is stock. It's a blue offroad edition with stock wheels and looks like stock sized tires if they aren't stock they aren't much bigger and then he has a dual exhaust straight out the back and tinted windows but other than those two things it looks stock and that truck honestly looks pretty darn nice. I really like it.

 

Good pointers hometheater. I just finsihed buying four new shocks for the truck. They were Monroes. I got them in a Silver finish, I think it will look nice with the black paint. I'm going to put them on Tuesday when they come in. Unfortunately the shop couldn't do the lift today, they are going to do it on Monday. Said it will take them about four hours to do the job. So Monday the lift is coming down. Then on Tuesday the truck is going to vip and they are putting on Pirelli Scorpion ATRs in a 285/70/17 size. They are also going to do the allignment while it is in there. I ordered the shocks from them too, so the shocks should be there on Tuesday too. I'm going to put the shocks on after I get the truck back from them. So she's going to be lowered back down, some nice pirelli 285s all around, four new shocks, allignment, and smooth sailing from here[8D] I'm very excited, I really can't wait to see how much more power I get back, and how smooth and straight she will drive. I just finished getting my new tips put on yesterday too, they look amazing. I had the guy give them a slight turn kind of like yours hometheater, but just not as much of a turn, but they look really sharp. He also added a couple more exhaust hangers to the truck so they won't keep snapping off. But the tips look really nice, and the truck sounds a little deeper with the 24" long tips. I think your right too, I think the truck is going to look really sharp. It's going to have a really cool sporty and athletic look to it with the black paint and the limo tint, exhaust, and shocks, and the new white wall lettering. I know I'm excited, but I can't help it lol, I'm just really looking forward to seeing how this truck really rides. If I like it now, it should be 5x better with everything be fixed. It's going to be nice being able to get up hills lol. I will take a ton of before and after pictures too. So Monday is taking the lift off. And Tuesday is the new all terrain tires, shocks and allignment, can't wait Also, will my thuren 0-3" trackbar still work??

 

Man get some pictures up of those tips. I'm jealous as I really want a set haha. How do you like them? What did they cost to get put on?

 

Oh btw are your front windows hard to see out of with the 5% tint? What about at like dusk or on rainy days? I was going to get a local guy to tint them 5% for me but he wouldn't do it on the front. He said he thought it was unsafe and he didn't want me coming back to him to sue him if I had a wreck. It seemed like he really wanted to sell me some 20% but I'm not sure I'd like 20% anymore than what I have now. The guys that did my rear windows said they would put 5% on if I wanted it but that I would be coming back to get it removed because I would get lots of tickets. I just don't really want to go with them as I wasn't super happy on the rear although they did take care of me after the fact the initial quality just wasn't what I wanted. Then we got into a discusion about if the rear was really 5%. I realize no one does everything perfect the first time I'm just not sure if I want to use them again or not.

Is yours really that bad? My rear window doesn't seem back but my side rears are a little dark. I'm not sure if my rear window I didn't really get 5% put on and they lied to me or if it was just tinted lighter from the factory. They kept insisting it was 5% on the rear window too.


You check out the TOTM thread yet to post your mods?

 

I don't know man I love the limo tint. I've adjusted to it quite nicely, rain or dark. It's never a seeing thing either, or at least if you like something you learn to cope with the cons lol. I love the privacy I get, especially when I'm shoving my face with B/K when I'm driving lmao. Makes the truck look clean too, even when it's dirty. And when I see a cop, I just roll the window down, no big deal. But yeah I'll get some pix of those tips, they look really darn sharp. Cost me $105 to get them ont hough, he had to add some piping to make them work, and do the exhaust hangers etc.

 

Wow thats a lot to put the tips on. That wasn't including the price of the tips was it? I don't know what the guy here would charge. I got quoted with my old exhaust $70 for tips and install I think but that was a while ago. The guy this time chaged me $350 for the exhaust from the cat back with 2 stainless steel tips, Flowmaster 40 series, and all piping. I may call and talk to him about it again. He didn't have any chrome tips in the size I needed left so I'd have to order them but now that I found them online that wouldn't be a huge deal.

I really want to see pictures though.


Yeah I want to get my windows tinted pretty badly but I don't know if I want to risk the ticket. My rear window isn't hard to see out of but it seems lighter. Like I said not sure if it's 5% or 20% and I got told 5% or if it's 5% and the rear factory tint is lighter. It's still pretty dark but a lot lighter than sides and metered higher. Then the guy at another shop said it looked like 20% to him but the original shop keept insisiting other than sticking another layer of 5% on there was nothing they could do as it was 5% and the rear must have a lighter factory tint and thats why it was lighter than the sides. I don't know I just gave up agrueing. I'm thinking they may be right about the factory tint being lighter but idk for sure. I've just read it online other places too just not sure how much difference it would make. I still metered pretty dark just not as dark as the sides. Anyway the sides are hard to see out of and not sure I'd want that on my front windows as even with the sun shining on it it's hard to see out of. The rear one you can see fine during the day. It looks tinted but not too bad and at night you can't really see out the sides at all but you can see out the rear somewhat. I remember 5% on our old truck and thought you couldn't see out at night without a bright light behind you but I don't remember if it was that bad or not. Thats how the sides are but the rear you can see out of just not 100% well. Like you can see a little with the reverse lights. I don't know what to do. I'm afraid it will be too dark looking out if I go with 5% and if I go with 20% I'm pretty sure it will be too light for me.

I looked at some factory trucks and SUV's which is supposed to be 20% and they barely looked darker than mine. Not enough difference that I want to pay for it. I wouldn't be happy with that at all.